They’re doing it for us…

Charles Krauthammer advises:

For a century, an ambitious, arrogant, unscrupulous knowledge class — social planners, scientists, intellectuals, experts and their left-wing political allies — arrogated to themselves the right to rule either in the name of the oppressed working class (communism) or, in its more benign form, by virtue of their superior expertise in achieving the highest social progress by means of state planning (socialism)…ust as the ash heap of history beckoned, the intellectual left was handed the ultimate salvation: environmentalism. Now the experts will regulate your life not in the name of the proletariat or Fabian socialism but — even better — in the name of Earth itself.  Environmentalists are Gaia’s priests, instructing us in her proper service and casting out those who refuse to genuflect. (See Newsweek above.) And having proclaimed the ultimate commandment — carbon chastity — they are preparing the supporting canonical legislation that will tell you how much you can travel, what kind of light you will read by, and at what temperature you may set your bedroom thermostat.

How nice, that they care so much!

Accounting

Arnold Kling comments‘:

The newspaper calculates that last year the government added $1.2 trillion in future Medicare liabilities and $0.9 trillion in new Social Security liabilities. Again, a private sector company would not be allowed to do this without reporting it and without taking steps to fund such liabilities. But the government is the solution to the private sector “debt crisis.”

Perhaps it’s time to elect Monty Brewster for every office.

Opting out?

Radley Balko advises that the D.C. gun ban case presently before the U.S. Supreme Court may cause more than strongly-worded columns in Montana.  (If the court determines the right to bear arms is collective.)

In a joint resolution, the Montana politicians argue that when Washington approved the state constitution, including a clause granting “any person” the right to bear arms, upon the Treasure State’s entry into the Union in 1889, the federal government recognized that clause as consistent with the Second Amendment. If the Court comes down on the side of a collective right, they argue, it would breach the compact for statehood between Montana and the federal government.

“Some speak of a ‘living constitution,’ the meaning of which may evolve and change over time,” supporters of the resolution explain on their website. “However, the concept of a ‘living contract,’ one to be disregarded or revised at the whim of one party thereto, is unknown.” Therefore, they argue, “A collective rights holding in Heller would not only open the Pandora’s box of unilaterally morphing contracts, it would also poise Montana to claim appropriate and historically entrenched remedies for contract violation.” Said remedies include opting out of its breached compact with the federal government—in other words, seceding from the Union.

Not just highway taxes on the line this time, friends and neighbors.

More advice for graduates

So say’s P.J. O’Rourke:

1. Go out and make a bunch of money! “There’s nothing the matter with honest moneymaking. Wealth is not a pizza, where if I have too many slices you have to eat the Domino’s box.”

2. Don’t be an idealist!  “Idealists are also bullies. The idealist says, ‘I care more about the redwood trees than you do. I care so much I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. It broke up my marriage. And because I care more than you do, I’m a better person. And because I’m the better person, I have the right to boss you around.’  Get a pair of bolt cutters and liberate that tree.”

3. Get politically uninvolved!  “But the problem isn’t politicians — it’s politics. Politics won’t allow for the truth. And we can’t blame the politicians for that. Imagine what even a little truth would sound like on today’s campaign trail…”

4. Forget about fairness!  “She’s always saying, “That’s not fair.” When she says this, I say, “Honey, you’re cute. That’s not fair. Your family is pretty well off. That’s not fair. You were born in America. That’s not fair. Darling, you had better pray to God that things don’t start getting fair for you.” What we need is more income, even if it means a bigger income disparity gap.”

Read the rest here.  H/t Daniel Drezner.

If you don’t have the G, grab a shovel?

Or some other tool…advises fabio:

College is a form of advanced education that’s designed for people who need or want to consume topics in the humanities and sciences. As a society, we have a strong interest in making sure any capable student has access to this great resource, regardless of family background. However, treating college education as a one size fits all economic improvement plan is a recipe for wasting people’s time and money.

E.g. if a 17 year old with a “2.3″ H.S. G.P.A. is interested in “helping people,” but isn’t interested in classes, it may be better to advise a L.P.N. program, as opposed to a Social Work degree. The Net Present Value is approximately equal.

Utopia

In Cuba:

Today, Cuba officially lifted its ban on the sale of computers to the general public. Some other prohibitions have also been scrapped in recent weeks: Cubans can now buy cell phones, stay in hotels previously reserved for tourists, and buy appliances like microwaves and TV sets.

It’s nice though that they have ‘free’ healthcare, such as it is.

follies

The future of universal healthcare….”Read on for an explanation of how modern government doesn’t work.”

Engineering complaints

Top 5 here…it’s so sad. Do mathematicians have it as rough?

Cuba

A couple of perspectives on the state of nature in Cuba.

Michael Moynihan: “It is a constant source of wonderment that seemingly intelligent people persist in mythologizing Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.”  Juxtaposed is Red Montana: “Cuba is liberalizing.”  And M.M. closes with: “Sure, we can quibble and debate all manner of theories of Cuban communism, but I think it’s safe to say that Fidel Castro in no way qualifies as libertarian.”

And in a related post, The Montana Misanthrope links to the ideals of communism in North Korea.

Based on the evidence, it’s clear that socialism is something we should all be agitating for.  Maybe we could do it together.

Changing the debate

Richard Conniff suggests “I propose we stop saying ‘taxes’ and start calling them ‘dues.’”  Apparently  it’s their money…but we may be allowed to keep some.  Uncle Karl would be proud!